Brakes on automotive vehicles convert kinetic energy of vehicle motion into friction and heat to slow or stop the vehicle. Dry disk brakes may be exposed to the atmosphere to dissipate the heat. As a result, dry disk brakes are subject to contamination from soil, water or other debris, especially on utility vehicles that are frequently driven off-road.
The problems of contamination and heat dissipation can be addressed by encasing the brakes and running them in a fluid bath of brake cooling fluid. However, wet disk brakes have the disadvantages of greater cost and higher weight of the brake enclosure. If the enclosed brake is mounted at the vehicle's wheels, the unsprung mass of the vehicle increases. This is undesirable because it is detrimental to vehicle ride and handling. Additionally, if the brake is mounted inboard, the halfshafts must be made stronger to handle the braking loads.
A wet disk brake is needed for a utility vehicle having reduced cost and lower weight of the brake enclosure. A wet disk brake is needed that minimizes or reduces any increase in the unsprung mass of a utility vehicle. A wet disk brake is needed that does not require strengthening the halfshafts.